Tug of war machine



F. M. TENNEY TUG OF WAR MACHINE April 26, 1960 Filed July 10, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

. Frank/M Tenney April 26, 1960 F. M. TENNEY TUG OF WAR MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 10, 1958 INVENTOR. Irahl Jf. Tenne y flzfor'neys BY Par/3'97 a? C'arzer April 26, 1960 F. M. TENNEY TUG OF WAR momma 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 10. 1958 INVENTOR. rank JZ. Ten neg ParZer 8 Carrier April 26, 1960 F. M. TENNEY TUG OF WAR MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 10, 1958 8 1n U .\1fl.. f E n r F E V n r Fa M e 7 .&w B 7 "@006 M. 2 r 4 a 4 km W Z rue OF WAR MACHINE Frank M. Tcnney, Decatur, Ill., assignor to The National System of Garage Ventilation, Inc., Decatur, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application July 10, 1958, Serial No. 747,647

19 Claims. (Cl. 273-1) This invention relates to a game or exercise mechanism and it has for one object to provide a means for use in a so-called tug-of-war game. It has for another object to provide means for indicating the progress of rival teams during a game and for indicating finally victory of one team.

The game or contest, generally known as tug-of-war, involves the use of a rope or its equivalent and is played by two or more opposing individuals each seeking to pull the other generally past a given point.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for use in connection with such a game or contest and in the particular form here shown the invention is exemplified' in a piece of equipment which may be used in a game yard or playground which furnishes storage means for the rope used and indicating means to show the progress of the game and the ultimate victory.

Other objects will appear from time to time throughout the specification and claims.

The present application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Serial No. 564,004, filed in the United States Patent Ofiice on February 7, 1956, now Patent No. 2,884,248.

The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the device with parts broken away and parts in section;

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the right half of the device as viewed from the left of Fig. l on an enlarged scale showing the interior ofthe device and its moving parts with some parts shown in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a section taken at line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail on a further enlarged scale of the bellringing mechanism as shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a side view of Fig. 4 as viewed from the right with parts being omitted for clarity;

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail of the stopping mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a top view of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a sectional detail like Fig. 6 with one stop shown in a depressed position; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional detail showing the hub of the winding reel.

Like parts are designated by like characters throughout the specification and drawings.

The device comprises generally a housing within which the indicating and securing mechanism is located, as well as parts of the mechanism upon which the rope may be wound. This housing is carried upon a standard which is fixed to a foundation so that the device may comprise a permanent piece of equipment in a playground. It may also, of course, be supported on a movable standard, if desired. In the particular form shown a standard 1 may be of tubular formation. It is of such length as to sup- 7 port the housing at a convenient height above the ground 2 and'to extend sufliciently below the ground to provide a firm support. Preferably a lateral extension 3 is pro-- vided for the member 1 below the ground and this and United States Patent 0 F 2,934,342 Patented Apr. 26, 1960 the varied portion of the standard 1 may be enclosed in concrete, as indicated at 4 in Fig. 1.

The housing as shown is formed of two sections 5 and 6. These may be made of any material and by any process of manufacture. Those shown are indicated as being cast of metal. Each housing section defines a hollow portion and at its lower end a semitubular section '7 or 8. These sections may be strengthened by reinforcing webs, as shown in Fig. 2, and are of such size as to fit about the upper end of the standard 1. They are secured to it and held together by a bolt 9 and nut 10. The housing sections may be rounded at their upper portions, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and are conveniently provided with laterally extending areas 11 which are positioned at suitable intervals about the periphery of the sections and are perforated to receive fastening means 12 which may comprise screws or bolts, if desired.

The housing is provided with a plurality of hooks 13 and 14 secured to the housing in any desired manner and arranged to support, respectively, the removable rope sections 15 and 16. The ropes, as shown, may have knots for gripping purposes, if desired, and may be of whatever thickness and length chosen. The invention is not limited to a particular rope, cable or equivalent member, nor to any particular size of rope.

'A shaft 17 is positioned within the housing and is supported in portions 18 of the housing sections. Reels 19 and 20 are positioned on the shaft 17 for rotation about it. The reels as shown comprise end members 21, 21 and central portions 22, 22 about which the ropes may be wound, and integral hub members 21a, 21a about which the springs 21b, 21b may be wound; Springs 21b, 21b are locked in place by flange members 511 and 6a, respectively, which are integral parts of sections 5 and 6. Fixed to the reel 19 is a pinion 23. These two are joined by screws or otherwise and a reinforcing member 24 is interposed between them and bolted to the end member 21 of the reel 19; Fixed to the reel 20 is a pinion 25. A separate or integral reinforcing member 26 is interposed between the pinion 25 and the reel 20 and the two are joined by screws or otherwise. A spacing and positioning ring 27 may be fixed on the shaft 17 intermediate the two pinions and shaft support 29, which is bolted to sections 5 and 6 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Each reel is positioned to lie within one of the housing sections, the reel 19 lying within the housing section 5 and the reel 20 within the section 6. Each housing section is perforated to permit the rope to extend outwardly. In Fig. 2 the perforation 28 appears in the housing section 5 and a similar perforation, not shown, is in housing section 6. Each rope is secured to its respective central reel portion 22 by a fastening member such as the hook shown at 30 in Fig. 3.

Located within the housing is a pair of sprockets, each connected with one of the above mentioned pinions by means of a driving connection which is a roller chain. The sprocket 31, which is fixed on a shaft 32, drives the pinion 23, and the sprocket 33, which is free to rotate about the shaft 32, drives the pinion 25. The housing section adjacent each end of the shafts 32 may be prm vided with a bearing portion 35, if desired. The shaft 32 carries at each of its outer ends an indicating means which is a pointer and handle member. The shaft 32 outside the section 5 has fixed to it the handle member 36 which is provided with a pointer portion 37 and a handle hub 38. Fixed to the shaft .32 outside the section 6 is a handle 39 with a pointer portion 40 and a handle hub 41. As shown and described, the two reels, the two pinions and the two sprockets have no positive connection with each other. Each reel and its sprocket comprises in effect a pair of members which rotate tosurface of member 45. sprocket 33 sufiiciently to strike stop 45 and compress gether but independently of the other pair of members comprising the other reel and its sprocket. Means must be provided for latching or holding or coupling them together during the contest or'game so that they do rotate together in response to the pulling of contestants on the two ropes. The means of engaging the two pairs for the period of a contest comprises lug 42 and mounting plate fixed to the sprocket 31 and a locking member or lug 43 fixed to the sprocket 33. As shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 3, these lugs comprise'projections from each sprocket toward the adjacent sprocket and the members "42 and '43 project sufficiently to contact each other, as shown-in Fig. 2, and their respective sprockets are in the 'proper position of rotation. When they are in this position relative rotation of the two gears in one direction is limited or stopped -bythe contact of the members 42 and 43. Relative rotation of the two gears in the opposite direction is not stopped since the projections 42 and 43 can, upon reverse movement of their respective gears, be carried out of contact withe'ach other.

A locking device comprises stops 44 and 45, springs 46 and 47, mounting member 48 and pin 49. Member 42 projects from sprocket-31 suflic-iently to strike stop 44 and compress spring 46. Member 45 will stop the relative rotation of member 42 when it strikes the flat Member 43 projects from spring 47. Member 42"will stop the rel'ativerotation of member 43 after it depresses the'stop 45. The reverse rotation of members 42 and 43 will not be prevented b'y -members 44 and 45.

An indicating means, which includes a bell or other sound-making device, is shown in detail in Figs. 4 and 5.

This comprises pins 60 and 61 fixed on set collars 62 and 63, respectively, which are fixed on shaft 32. A

pair of downwardly projecting extensions or lever arms 65 and 66 are movably mounted on a bearing member 64 attached to or formed as a part of the housing section 5. The opposite end of members 65 and 66 have outwardly turned portions 67 and 68, respectively, which are forced against sideportions of a pair of upwardly projecting members 69 and 70 by springs 67a and 68a, respectively. One end'of members 69 and 70 is movably mounted on hearing member 64 and opposite ends movably mounted on one end of upwardly projecting members 71 and 72. The opposite ends of members 71 and 72 are movably mounted to lever 73 which is movably connected to bearing member'74. The lever 73 at its opposite end is movably connected to a link 75 'which is in contact with' arm 76'arranged to actuate means browsing the bell striker 77 to strike the bell -78. Theprecise details of the striking mechanism including the mechanical linkage need not be shown as they form noparticular part of the present invention. It 'is sufficient for the purposes ofthe invention that means be provided for striking the bell when the game or contest has been finished.

When the two members 42 and 43 are at their uppermost positions (approximately 60 apart), as they are shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the contest has been completed and the bell has been struck. Any bell-ringing means might beused. Theymight be electrical and a switch mechanism would be actuated by the appropriate movement of the gears 31 and 33, or the mechanical means shown might be used, or any other signal member and signal-actuating means might be used.

Although an operative form of the device has been shown, the invention is not limited to the particular details shown. -Many changes may be made in the form,

shape and arrangementof parts without departing from the shaft 32. -moves it sufiiciently to allow the pin 60 to pass.

may be omitted or each rope may have one and if the stops are present they will be positioned on the rope so that the stop is reached at approximately the time that the maximum rope has been pulled in at the occurrence of the termination of the contest.

When the device is not in use the parts may occupy the position of Fig. 1. The springs 21b, 21b having rotated their respective reels suficiently to bring a substantial portion of each rope onto its respective reel, the game is ready to be played.

As viewed in Fig. 1, when the gameis to :be played the pointer indicates the previous winner. The contestants may pull either rope or cable 15 and 16 outwardly approximately a distance of 6 feet. As viewed in Figs. 2, 4, 8 and 9 the parts will all move together. It may be assumed that the rope 16 will first be pulled. This rope is fastened to the reel 20 and will cause the spring 21b in the housing 6 to'be tightened in the direction of the arrow of Fig. 9. At the 'same time the pinion 25 will rotate the free moving sprocket 33 by means of the roller chain shown. Also, at the same time the lug 43, which is integral with thesprocket 33, will move in the direction of the solid arrow in Fig. 9 through an angle of approximately degrees. This action depresses the pin 45 against the spring'47 to'a point where it is stopped by the pin 49, as shown in Fig. '8. The face-51 of lug 43 contacts the stop "pin '44. The rope 16 is held in this position until the other contestants have pulled the rope 15 anequal distance out of the housing.

The rope 15 when pulled outwardly will cause the rope also, in this pulling-out movement, rotates the sprocket 31, the pointers 36 and 39, until they point downwardly to the word start, as shown on the housing 5 in Fig. 1. This rotation also rotates the pins 60 and 61 on the collars 62 and 63-since the collarsare fixed to The pin 60 contacts the member 65 and The member-65 isprevented from complete rotation by the spring 67a. The lug 42 fixed to the sprocket 31 moves in the direction of the dotted arrow, as shown in Fig. 8, approximately 150 degrees and contacts the pin 44 depressing the spring -46 to the limit determined by the location of the pin 49.

The face 52 of the lug is now in contact with the face 51 of lug 43. Both sprockets are now free to rotate in either direction until one team of contestants draws the rope of the otherteam of contestants sufiiciently inwardly to allowa win to be registered. a

A win is signaled by the ringingof the'bell which is actuated by either the tripping pin 60 or 61 when either of those pins moves into the dotted line position of Fig. 4. The win of the Winning team is shown by the location of the pointer which-points to the winning side, as shown for example in Fig. 1. The side pulling from the right has won.

When the game is completed and the ropes are relaxedthe team that has won has wound its spring and unwound its opponents spring. Thus the winners spring will retrieve its rope'when released because-of the efiect of the spring in expanding when free to do so. The losers-ropemay be retrievedor drawn into the housing manually by the winningteam. After the termination of a contest, the parts may be returned to the original inactive position by the rotation of the reels from the force of the springs 21b through the chain and sprockets, or they'may bemoved to the position for the startof :a new contest.

said: rope supports being.mounted 'for substantial independent movement with respect to each other and 'engageable and disengageable means for causing them to move together whereby an out-pulling force on one rope is effective to move both rope supports and to exert an in-pulling effect on the opposite rope.

2. In combination in a game device a housing, a pair of movable rope supports therein, a plurality of ropes each fastened, at one end, to one of said supports and each extending outside of said housing at its other end, said rope supports being mounted for independent movement with respect to each other and means causing them to move together after a predetermined initial movement whereby an out-pulling force on one rope is effective to move both rope supports and to exert an in-pulling effect on the opposite rope.

3. In combination in a game device a housing, a pair of movable rope supports therein, a plurality of ropes each fastened, at one end, to one of said supports and each extending outside of said housing at its other end, said rope supports being mounted for limited independent movement with respect to each other and engageable and disengageable means for causing them to move together whereby an out-pulling force on one rope is effective to move both rope supports and to exert an in-pulling effect on the opposite rope.

4. In combination in a game device a housing, a pair of movable rope supports therein, a plurality of ropes each fastened, at one end, to one of said supports and each extending outside of said housing at its other end, said rope supports being mounted for limited independent movement with respect to each other and means for causing them to move together after a predetermined initial movement whereby an out-pulling force on one rope is effective to move both rope supports and to exert an in-pulling effect on the opposite. rope.

5. In combination in a game device a housing, a pair of movable rope supports therein, a plurality of ropes each fastened, at one end, to one of said supports and each extending outside of said housing at its other end, said rope supports being mounted for independent movement with respect to each other and engageable and disengageable means for causing them to move together whereby an out-pulling force on one rope is effective to move both rope supports and to exert an in-pulling effect on the opposite rope, and an indicating means operated by movement of said rope supports and comprising a pointer movably mounted on said housing.

6. In combination in a game device a housing, a pair of movable rope supports therein, a plurality of ropes leach fastened, at one end, to one of said supports and =each extending outside of said housing at its other end, :said rope supports being mounted for independent movennent with respect to each other and engageable and disengageable means for causing them to move together whereby an out-pulling force on one rope is effective to move both rope supports and to exert an in-pulling efiect on the opposite rope, an indicating means operated by movement of said rope supports and comprising a pointer movably mounted on said housing, and comprising also an audible signal and means for sounding it after a predetermined amount of movement of the rope supports has taken place.

7. In combination in a game device a housing, a pair of movable rope supports therein, a plurality of ropes each fastened, at one end, to one of said supports and each extending outside of said housing at its other end, said rope supports being mounted for independent movement with respect to each other and engageable and disengageable means for causing them to move together whereby an out-pulling force on one rope is effective to move both rope supports and to exert an in-pulling efifect on the opposite rope, an indicating means operated by movement of said rope supports and comprising'a pointer movably mounted on the outside of said housing, and

.comprising also an audible signal and means for sounding it after a predetermined amount of movement of the rope supports has taken place.

8. In combination in a game device a housing, a pair of movable rope supports therein, a plurality of ropes each fastened, at one end, to one of said supports and each extending outside of said housing at its other end, said rope supports being mounted for independent movement with respect to each other and means for causing them to move together after a predetermined initial movement whereby an out-pulling force on one rope is efiective to move both rope supports and to exert an inpulling effect on the opposite rope, an indicating means operated by movement of said rope supports and comprising a pointer movably mounted on the outside of said housing, and comprising also an audible signal and means for sounding it after a predetermined amount of movement of the rope supports has taken place.

9. In combination in a game device a housing, a pair of movable rope supports therein, a plurality of ropes each fastened, at one end, to one of said supports and each extending outside of said housing at its other end, said rope supports being mounted for limited independent movement with respect to each other and means for causing them to move together after a predetermined initial movement whereby an out-pulling force on one rope is effective to move both rope supports and to exert an in-pulling effect on the opposite rope, an indicating means operated by movement of said rope supports and comprising a pointer movably mounted on the outside of said housing, and comprising also an audible signal and means for sounding it after a predetermined amount of movement of the rope supports has taken place.

10. In combination in a game device, a pair of movable rope supports, a plurality of ropes each fastened, at one end, to one of said supports and each extending outwardly from the rope supports at its other end, said rope supports being mounted for substantial independent movement with respect to each other and engageable and disengageable means for causing them to move together whereby an out-pulling force on one rope is efifective to move both rope supports and to exert an in-pulling effect on the opposite rope.

11. In combination in a tug of war device, a pair of rope reels and a pair of ropes, each rope being connected at one end to one of the reels and free at the other end whereby the ropes may be pulled in and out to thereby rotate the reels independently of one another, means for operatively coupling one reel to the other whereby an out-pulling force on one rope is efiective to exert an in-pulling effect on the other, said means comprising a pair of sprockets, a driving connection between each of the sprockets and a corresponding reel, and a locking member on each sprocket, said locking members being so positioned that they abut one another to thereby lock the sprockets together when the sprockets are rotated in opposite directions, and an indicating means operable in response to rotation of the reels in a locked condition for indicating the relative position of the reels.

12. The tug of war device of claim 11 further including a pinion secured to each of the reels, and fur ther characterized in that the driving connections extend between the sprockets and the pinion to thereby rotate the reels.

13. The tug of war device of claim 12 further characterized in that the driving connection is a chain.

14. The tug of war device of claim 11 further including reel and sprocket rotation limiting means operable to permit only a given increment of rope to be payed out before the reels are operatively locked together, said limiting means comprising a pair of rotation limiting members mounted independently of the sprockets, each member being so contoured as to form no hindrance to rotation of a sprocket "in one direction and to engage the locking member :on the sprocketwhen the sprocket rotates in the opposite direction.

15'. The tug of war device of claim 14 further characterized in that the locking members each include a sliding surface exposed to the rotation limiting members when the locking members are in abutting engagenient whereby the locking members ride over the rotation limiting members.

16. The tug of war device of claim 15 in which the rotation limiting members are spring mounted for extending and retracting movement in response to engagement with the locking members. a 17. The tug of war device of .claim 11 further characterized in that the indicating means includes an audible signal device, and means operable in response to rotation of the sprockets in a locked condition for actuating the signal device.

18. The tug of war device of claim 17 in which the .audiblesignal actuatingmeans includes a spring biased striker engageable with a bell, a mechanical linkage for cocking the striker, and tripping means engageable with the mechanical linkage to actuate the striker, said tripping means including a pair of pins spaced along and extending. outwardly from a shaft about which the sprockets rotate when locked together, each of said pins engaging a lever arm engaging the mechanical linkage, each lever arm being efiective when rotated in one direction to cock the striker and inefiective when rotated in the opposite direction to cock the striker.

. 19. The tug of war device of claim 11 further including a pair of re-wind springs, each spring having one end connected to the rope reel and the other to a support fixed with respect to the reel, said springs being so positioned as to be tightened when rope is payed out.

References Cited in the file of thispatent FOREIGN PATENTS 11,067 Great'Britain Sept. 1, 1904 

